Lepaniidi Farm has currently 20 goats, 8 of them are for milk and goat cheese production. Volunteers will be helping grazing, feeding, milking the goats, processing the milk, but also picking berries and vegetables. Thus in the mornings and evenings there will be milking the goats, at days – picking the berries and fruits (raspberries and blackberries) and making a jam. Some days there will be work in vegetable garden, removing weeds, picking beetroots, etc. During the autumn shift volunteers will be mainly picking up and sorting vegetables (potatoes, carrots, beetroots), milking goats and making cheese. Participants will have a great chance to get familiar with various farm jobs and even to learn how to make goat cheese The working day will be 5-7 hours, 5-6 days a week. Work will be supervised by local hosts with whom volunteers will stay sharing work and leisure as a family.

The accommodation conditions at the farm will be simple – in old granary, however on beds. Please bring your sleeping bag. Toilets and showers are available; there is also traditional Estonian sauna in the farm. There is a kitchen with necessary equipment for cooking, which volunteers may use freely i just like at home. Usually volunteers will have breakfasts and lunch together with farmers cooked and served by the hosts, while dinners will be prepared on their own.

LocationHiiumaa Island, Kaina parish, Ristivalja village, Lepaniidi farm. Hiiumaa Island is in the west of Estonia, 140 km from Tallinn. More information on www.hiiumaa.ee or www.visitestonia.com TerminalAirport, harbour, bus station in Tallinn. From the airport bus nr 2 going to the city centre stops by the Tallinn Bus Station. From there two times per day buses take you straight to Hiiumaa (including ferry transportation from the mainland). Timetables are available online at www.tpilet.ee LEISUREThere are lot of nice natural picturesque sights in the area. Sea cost is 7km away from the working place and there are good possibility take the bicycles and go to swim. It is possible to visit other parts of Hiiumaa Island on weekend. Hiiumaa offers a lot of events on weekends in summer. Hosts plan to arrange some tours around the island.This camp is absolutely suitable for people who enjoy nature and are interested in traditional ways of rural living.

Hiiumaa according to the Nordic sagas emerged from the Baltic Sea as a small islet more than 10 000 years ago. The island of Hiiumaa was first mentioned in historical documents as a deserted island called Dageida in 1228. The first inhabitants settled down at the end of the 13th century. Nowadays Hiiumaa is the second biggest island of Estonia with the area of 965 sq. km and the population around 10 000. It has many historical and nature sights, and there are kind people known for their hospitality and good sense of humor. The island is referred as a remote area of Europe, so EstYES feels particularly proud developing international voluntary projects for 15 years there. Also, for years EstYES has been cooperating with farms all over Estonia for solidarity, respect and practical support to local people who work in agricultural sector keeping traditional life style and developing new eco-farming despite of all difficulties. Lepaniidi Farm is one of such projects. This is an organic farm promoting sustainable lifestyle, and this camp is proposed for volunteers who appreciate and share its values, want to learn more about it and to help hard working people.

Special requirementsMotivation letter is required. You have to be ready to adapt to the simple conditions of the common life in the country side of Estonia and be willing to do farm work, which can be hard sometimes. Not suitable for lactose allergic participants since host offers a lot of dairy products. NB Smoking and drinking alcohol is not allowed in this camp PARTICIPATION FEEDue to lack of communal resources for this camp we ask participants to contribute 40 Euros towards the costs of the general administration. This fee has to be paid by bank transfer before the beginning of the camp. If you cannot make bank transfer please contact your sending organization for solution.